Operating mechanism for ball point pens and the like which may be pressed in a single piece with the snap members



y 27, 5 G. BERTOGLIQ ETAL 3,195,339

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR BALL POINT PENS AND THE LIKE WHICH MAY BE PRESSED IN A SINGLE PIECE WITH THE SNAP MEMBERS Filed June 4, 1963 INVENTORS.

United States Patent Office 3,196,839 Patented July 27, 1965 3,196,839 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR BALL POINT PENS AND THE LIKE WHICH MAY BE PRESSED IN A SINGLE PIECE WITH THE SNAP MEMBERS Guido Bertoglio and Sauro Albertini, Viganello, Switzerland, assignors to Real Patentauswertungs Anstalt, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Filed June 4, 1963, Ser. No. 285,355 Claims priority, application Switzerland, June 7, 1962, 6,868/ 62 6 Claims. (Cl. 12042.03)

The present invention relates to Writing implements, and particularly to an operating mechanism for ball point pens in which a button is pushed in an axial direction relative to a barrel to project and retract the writing point.

The operating mechanism of the invention is characterized in being formed in a single piece which may be molded from synthetic resins or similar material and includes the push button.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment relating to the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly-sectional front-elevational view of a ball point pen equipped with the operating device of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the pen of FIG. 1 in cross section on the line IIII;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged developed detail view of the inner surface of the pen barrel shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the operating mechanism of the pen of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows the device of FIG. 4 in side elevation;

FIG. 6 shows a cross section taken on the line VIVI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 illustrates the successive four positions of the mechanism during the operation thereof.

With reference to the drawing, it is seen that the ball point pen mainly consists of the barrel 1 and of an operating mechanism which acts on the refill tube 3.

The two elements are each made in one piece from plastic or metal, thereby simplifying the simple manufacturing process in a manner not possible up to now. Conventional systems require four or more separate components for performing the same functions.

The main feature of the invention is the unitary mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It comprises a push button 2 fastened to a rigid rod 4 which is axially elongated, but radially offset with respect to the common axes of the button 2 and the barrel 1. The lower end of the rod 4 carries a piston 5 which engages the upper end of the refill 3. The piston 5 has a resilient arm 6 connected thereto. In the relaxed condition illustrated in FIG. 4, the arm 6 obliquely projects from the piston 5 axially toward the butt-on 2 and radially outward. The free end of the arm 6 is formed with an integral radial projection 6'.

As shown in FIG. 1, the barrel 1 has recesses 7 and 8 formed in the inner surface thereof which normally receives the projection 6', the recesses being shown on a larger scale in FIG. 3. The recess 7 is semi-circular and its end portions 7' and 7" are axially aligned. The recess 8 is axially interposed between the end portions 7', 7", and centered in the arc of the recess 7.

FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of the pen. The projection 6 of the arm 6 is initially in the end portion 7 of the recess 7 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7a while the writing point of the pen at the lower end of the refill 3 is completely retracted in the pen barrel 1.

When the button 2. is pushed axially inward in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7b, the projection 6' due to its cam shape and to the elasticity of the arm 6, passes over a nonrecessed portion of the barrel wall which separates the recesses, and enters the central recess 8 where it is retained until the push button is pressed down again. The writing point projects from the barrel 1 and is in the writing position. The movement of the projection 6 from the end portion 7' of the recess 7 toward the recess 8 is guided by a blind pocket-shaped extension of the recess portion 7'.

When the button 2 is pushed inward again in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 70, the projection 6' of the elastic arm 6 enters the lower portion 7" of the semi-circular recess 7.

A spring (not shown) coaxially coiled around the refill 3 permanently urges the refill 3 to move inward of the barrel 1, as is conventional. When the button 2 is released, the projection 6' follows the path of the circular groove 7 shown by the arrow in FIG. 7a, and returns to the portion 7' of the recess 7 which it occupied initially.

Pressing the button 2 thus causes the writing point to be automatically projected and retracted by extremely simple and economical means.

The shape of the several components may be varied within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In particular, the recesses 7 and 8 may be formed in the movable mechanism while the elastic arm may be a part of the pen barrel, but such a modified embodiment is more complicated.

The mechanism of the invention may obviously be applied to pens or pencils which differ from the conventional ball point chosen for the purpose of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. In a writing implement, in combination:

(a) a barrel member having an axis and an axial bore adapted to receive an ink container; and

(b) an operating member axially movable and rotatable in said bore, said operating member including a push portion axially projecting from said bore, and engaging means for engaging an ink container received in said bore,

(1) one of said members having an axial wall in said bore and being formed with two recesses in said wall, a separating portion of said wall free from recesses being interposed between said two recesses and separating the same,

(2) one of said recesses being elongated and having two longitudinal end portions, the other recess being axially spacedly interposed in axial alignment between said two end portions,

(3) the other member having a resilient arm portion having a free end radially projecting from said other member when in the relaxed condition, said free end normally engaging one of said recesses and being adapted to move axially from one recess to the other over said separating wall portion when said push button portion is axially moved.

2. In a writing implement as set forth in claim 1, said one recess being arcuate, and the other recess being approximately centered with respect to said arcuate recess.

3. In a writing implement as set forth in claim 2, said one member being said barrel member, and said push button portion, said engaging means, and said arm portion being integral with each other and constituting a unitary structure.

4. In a writing implement as set forth in claim 1, said one member being said barrel member, and said push button portion, said engaging means, and said' arm portion being integral with each other and constituting a unitary structure.

5. In a writing implement as set forth in claim 2, one of the longitudinal end portions of said arcuate recess including a blind pocket portion directed toward said other recess.

6. In a writing implement as set forth in claim 1, cam means on said free end of the arm portion for facilitating said movement of said free end from said one recess to the other over said separating wall portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 3,070,069 12/62 Ruden 120-4103 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,128,363 8/56 France.

5 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner. 

1. IN A WRITING IMPLEMENT, IN COMBINATION: (A) A BARREL MEMBER HAVING AN AXIS AND AN AXIAL BORE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN INK CONTAINER; AND (B) AN OPERATING MEMBER AXIALLY MOVABLE AND ROTATABLE IN SAID BORE, SAID OPERATING MEMBER INCLUDING A PUSH PORTION AXIALLY PROJECTING FROM SAID BORE, AND ENGAGING MEANS FOR ENGAGING AN INK CONTAINER RECEIVED IN SAID BORE, (1) ONE OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING AN AXIAL WALL IN SAID BORE AND BEING FORMED WITH TWO RECESSES IN SAID WALL, A SEPARATING PORTION OF SAID WALL FREE FROM RECESSES BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID TWO RECESSES AND SEPARATING THE SAME, (2) ONE OF SAID RECESSES BEING ELONGATED AND HAVING TWO LONGITUDINAL END PORTIONS, THE OTHER RECESS BEING AXIALLY SPACEDLY INTERPOSED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT BETWEEN SAID TWO END PORTIONS, (3) THE OTHER MEMBER HAVING A RESILIENT ARM PORTION HAVING A FREE END RADIALLY PROJECTING FROM SAID OTHER MEMBER WHEN IN THE RELAXED CONDITION, SAID FREE END NORMALLY ENGAGING ONE OF SAID RECESSES AND BEING ADAPTED TO MOVE AXIALLY FROM ONE RECESS TO THE OTHER OVER SAID SEPARATING WALL PORTION WHEN SAID PUSH BUTTON PORTION IS AXIALLY MOVED. 